Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat Ranked Richest Politician

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat was ranked Israel's richest politician by Forbes Israel magazine in their latest issue released last week. Barkat is running for a second term in office, having previously served on city council for five years with the Jerusalem Will Succeed party. In 2006 he briefly represented the Kadima party. He was preciously in the high-tech industry specializing in in antivirus software. Forbes estimated his net worth at 450 million shekels, or approximately $122 million USD, more then the combined total of the next three politicians on the list, Labor MK Eral Margalit and Likud-Yisrael Beitenu Minister Silvan Shalom and Likud-Yisrael Beitenu Minister Yair Shamir.

Other candidates running for mayor are Moshe Lion of the Likud - Yisrael Beiteinu Jerusalem list. Lion worked for the past five years as head of the Jerusalem Development Authority and previously was the head of Israel Railways.

Also running is Arieh King on the Outlying Neighborhoods Slate. He is the head of the Israel Land Fund which advocates for Jewish neighborhoods in post 1967 districts.

A fourth candidate is Yosef "Pepe" Alalu, a long-time city council member from the Meretz Party. He is running on a joint Meretz - Labor Party slate.

Municipal elections for mayor and city council representatives will be held on October 22nd.